"So, where are we going?" asked Hoshi.

"Jeez, you sure like to ask questions. Just shut your mouth and keep following me," Xiang swiftly replied.

Hoshi followed Xiang through the marketplace which was nearing its end. Hoshi couldn't help but gander around at the variety of shops and businesses people had set up. He was intrigued to see life in the inanimate streets of bricks and wood. Accompanying the shops, the great diversity of houses owned by wealthy families added their own colour to the street. One thing Hoshi didn't grow fond of was the incongruity between the minted and the indigent. At one side, people were hoarding up food more than they can ever eat by themselves and at the other, people in ragged clothes who couldn't afford a single piece of bread.

"Why is there so much difference between how people are dressed and how they live here?" concerned Hoshi.

"Again, where are you from kid? It's always been like this. People here are divided according to their wealth and statuses," answered Xiang.

"Exilir. Over there, all of us lived equally and shared our food supplies without disparity," compared Hoshi.

"Sounds to good to be true," mouthed Xiang.

Right at the end of the marketplace, a large alehouse caught Hoshi's attention. It was well decorated with flowers around the edges and writing on the front. There was a certain bitter aroma coming from the inside.

"What's this smell? Is that poison?" Hoshi queried.

"Poison? For you, maybe. For me, that's the smell of love!" Xiang chuckled.

"Love? Tell me, how exactly does one achieve that?"

"You see, love is…." Xiang was interrupted by a young man falling right on him as he was passing by the alehouse's entrance.

"Shit, man! That hurt!" hollered Xiang.

"He's unconscious, must have taken a serious beating." Hoshi pointed out the various inflamed spots and fresh bruises on the man.

"Hey you two! Hand back the weakling, I ain't done with him!" called a tall muscular brute wearing silky white slacks without a top.

"Alright sir! He's all yours!" Xiang loudly responded while getting up.

"Wait, don't you think he has suffered enough already?" Hoshi interjected.

"I will decide that! And who are you to speak up to me!? You know who I am?" the brute growled.

"Hoshi, I recognise that face. He is the champion of the latest street brawl event. We shouldn't be messing with him," Xiang advised.

"You got the right idea, now walk away and I will forgive this punk with you." The brute walked towards the unconscious man.

"You are the punk! Picking on the weak like that," said Hoshi just as the brute was about to lift the man.

"What did you just say? Then you can die with him!" the brute fumed.

"Oh boy," Xiang sighed.

The brute rushed at Hoshi but he quickly dodged to the side and landed a swift kick right at his back. The brute seemed to have not faltered as he immediately turned around and landed a punch at Hoshi who raised his forearms for a block. The attack was blocked but the immense force made him fall on his back. The brute immediately reached Hoshi and was about to crush his legs with his massive feet.

"I still need him! You big oaf!"

Xiang rushed to the rescue and landed a targeted kick right at the brute's head using a swift jump. That kick made the brute lose his balance and taking advantage of this, Xiang used his palms to force him down on the ground and slam the back of his head, putting the whole pressure of his heavy body on it. That knocked him out cold instantly.

"Holy, that was incredible! Why were you cowering if you can fight like that?" Hoshi got up and praised.

"I just got lucky, didn't realise he was drunk to the core earlier," Xiang replied.

"My love! Where are you!?" A young woman came rushing to the scene.

"Is this the man you are looking for?" Xiang asked the woman.

"Yes! Thank Cora!"

The woman felt relieved after taking notice of his downed beloved.

"Does he always have a knack for falling in trouble?" Xiang inquired.

"I told him not to gamble at the alehouse, no good folk ever visit that. I wish this beating taught him something."

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The woman dragged the man and supported him against a nearby barrel.

"(But I always visit that alehouse as well.)"

Xiang looked away.

"You are a female right? You must know then, what's love? Does it have to do something with your chest protruding out like that?" Hoshi curiously asked.

"Hoshi! What's wrong with you!? Pardon his behaviour, Come on! We are getting late!" Xiang startled and pulled hoshi towards himself and began running.

"What's your problem? I asked nothing wrong!" shot Hoshi.

"You shouldn't ask such questions with women! It's rude!" scolded Xiang.

After half a minute of running, Xiang halted and released Hoshi.

"Why not? I read somewhere that love is related to the heart…."

Hoshi's mind was overwhelmed by a magnificent view from a very high cliff of a large river dividing a dense forest from a light grey wasteland. There were massive mountains on the left and long plains on the right, giving a huge diversity to the landscape. The cliff's edge was enclosed by a mildly long fence to keep drunkards and children from falling on a regular basis.

"Quite the view isn't it?"

"Yeah, is that the Grand Murasakino river? The river that can advance your life rapidly?" Hoshi questioned.

"Yes our saving grace, The Grand Murasakino kyūseishu. The warriors have forbidden any citizen to even set foot near hundreds of meters of that river, so unfortunately we can't just go and drink from it freely," explained Xiang.

"Why even would you? But It sure is beautiful," Hoshi was mesmerised by the shining river.

"I don't get one thing though, why is there no vegetation beyond it?" Hoshi queried.

"We don't know for sure but the old books say that the first great war corrupted every inch of Pandara to not bear any plant life for eternity," Xiang replied.

"Then why is there so much plant life here?" puzzled Hoshi.

"It is believed Cora, our Goddess, laid down her last bit of vital energy to give birth to all the life you see in this side of Pandara."

"Cora? I heard from my father that Haroshuma was the one who created life," Hoshi bemused.

"We can talk about deities later, that large cantonment in the middle of the forest is the warriors headquarters," Xiang pointed.

"It's not as big as I thought. Are Hirishima and Subaru in there? Is that why you brought me here?"

"No, they aren't and that's not why I brought you here," responded Xiang.

"Then why did you bring me here?" Hoshi questioned.

"Look there, you see that large passageway?" Xiang rotated 90 degrees to the left and pointed towards a passageway leading up a hill.

"Yes, where does it go?"

"Look right above that," Xiang ordered.

"What!? Was that always up there?" Hoshi was amazed to see a large red Palace with emerald pillars supporting it. There were huge lanterns and banners with a certain distinct symbol on them.

"It's the king Palace and right beside it, slightly downhill, is the court. The two warriors that were with you are going to be judged shortly there," Xiang stated.

"Judged? They were captured? But the king guard didn't stand a chance against their skill," Hoshi perplexed.

"Regardless of how they were captured, I am certain they will be executed. This information is not available to the public for some reason," Xiang imparted.

"More people will die because of me," lamented Hoshi.

"Yes sadly," Xiang replied.

Hoshi's face was almost filled with tears as Xiang optimistically spoke,

"Unless we save them!"

"Is that possible?" Hoshi asked.

"Of course it is! And I have a great plan that will benefit us both."

"You said they weren't letting this information out to anyone then how did you come to know of this?" Hoshi queried.

"I snuck in the palace and eavesdropped on a higher guard's conversation," Xiang proudly replied.

"The security must be tight, how did you do that?"

"I know the place very well and all its secret passageways, including the hidden exit in the King's bedroom," Xiang stated.

"Were you close to the king before?"

"I was for some time, but he never even tried to."

Xiang looked away for a moment.

"What do you mean?"

"Forget it, we are short on time. The judgment will begin soon, I better explain to you the plan," Xiang said, solemnly.

"I agree, but at least tell me this, why are you helping me? What could you gain from all this?" Hoshi inquired.

"I have a score to settle with the king. This plan of mine will surely bring me closer to that son of a bitch and I would be able to make another hole in him with my dagger," scowled Xiang.

"You must have a really solid plan to hit both birds with one stone. Let's hear it then," responded Hoshi.

Meanwhile back at the prison,

"It's time! Wake up sleeping beauties!"

A guard banged at the cell's gate Hirishima and Subaru were sleeping in.

"The court awaits! On your feet!" another guard loudly ordered.

Hirishima and Subaru woke up from a brief doze. The guard opened the gate and placed metal handcuffs on both warriors to lock their hands behind their backs.

"Move!"

The guard pushed Hirishima ruthlessly after placing the cuffs.

"What are you looking at? That means you too!"

The other guard pushed Subaru.

The two prisoners started walking slowly in the corridor. Hirishima looked around and saw dried up blood in each of the cells with the same wall mounted cuffs as theirs.

"How many innocents do you punish here!?" Subaru enraged.

"Quiet! We have no obligation to reply!"

The second guard pushed him again.

"Save your breath Subaru," Hirishima whispered.

"Burn in hell, all of you," cursed Subaru.

After walking on the prison bricks for some time Hirishima and Subaru were taken outside. There were a lot of guards aligned linearly and all had high quality armor and weaponry. Much more trained and experienced elite guards wearing much stronger armor of the same colour theme, having a more complex symbol and wielding masterfully crafted weapons were aligned at the last row to ensure the two prisoners didn't resist.

"Can't risk struggling here, Damn it" Subaru muttered.

The two warriors were forced to keep walking between the guards on a stone pathway. Almost halfway through, they were suddenly ordered to halt as a group of people wearing a combination of long dark red and black robes with yet another strange symbol tattooed on their foreheads walked by. Some of them were holding red beaded strands while others wore red earrings. They were led by a single old man with the same clothing with the addition of a shiny red fillet of his head and a red beaded necklace around his neck.

"The cultists? What are they doing here?" Subaru immediately recognised the group.

"Does this have something to do with Hoshi?" Hirishima whispered.

"Could be, either way they will enforce their position today," Subaru replied.

"Our already low chances have just dropped even further." Hirishima sighed.

"Don't fret it, We still have Erashi's plan," Subaru stated.

"I have a feeling, we will see the colour red too often today," Hirishima stressed.

"I do too, old friend."

"Stay quiet you two! Have some respect for the Cult of Cora!" An elite guard hit both of Hirishima's and Subaru's back with a metal whip making them both flinch in pain.

End of chapter nine.